Laal Ishq – This red love – (Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela)

By Ruchi Mishra | March 2, 2017

The song opens with the sound of the temple bells and various musical instruments like Shehnai, Sitar and Guitar. It is picturised on Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone , who play lovers in this adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, Which is beautifully directed by Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and the song arrangement is done by Shail Hada. This beautiful heart wrenching track plays in the background when Ram and Leela get separated.

Laal ishq is a semi- classical composition based on Raga Bihag with a hint of Raga Yaman and Bhairav in parts as well.With Arijit Singh’s beautifully rendered aalaap, and the use of mridangam this track comes into its full form and creates magic among the listeners.

Tujh sang bair lagaya aisa
Raha na main phir apne jaisa…

I have had such an enmity with you,
That I haven’t remained like myself anymore..

In spite of the decades of family war , Ram and Leela fall in love with each other. A love unlike any, which could go beyond the boundaries of right and wrong. Everything seemed to be going fine, until Leela’s brother killed Ram’s brother and he had to take revenge by killing her brother, which increased the differences between them as well. Here Ram confesses that he has been so engrossed in hating Leela that he doesn’t feel like his usual self anymore.

Mera naam ishq, tera naam ishq
Mera naam tera naam mera naam ishq..

My name is love, your name is love,
My name, your name, my name, it’s all love..

Even after all of the turbulence, their love for each other did not die. It’s the undying flame and passion which lives inside them, even though things can never go back to being as it was before.

Yeh lal ishq, ye malal ishq
Ye aib ishq, ye bair ishq
ishq ishq, ishq

Red is considered to be the color of passion and love. It’s an irony that, this same red color( blood )is the cause of all the pain, remorse and the suffering.

Apna naam badal doon

Ya tera naam chhupa loon
Ya chhod ke saari yaad
main bairaag utha loon

Should I change my name,
or should I hide your name?
Or should I just leave all the memories
and become a hermit?

We can see the Shakespeare’s Romeo- Juliet reference here,( where Juliet tells Romeo that It’s only his name that’s her enemy. He would still be the same to her, if he had a different name). Ram just wants to be with Leela, no matter what price he has to pay for it.Even if that includes changing his name for her. We can feel the pain that the characters are going through here.

Bas ek rahe mera kaam ishq
Mera kaam ishq, mera kaam ishq

So that there is just one work, love, for me,
My work be love, love be my work..

Mera naam ishq, tera naam ishq
Mera naam tera naam mera naam ishq

Ye laal ishq, ye malal ishq
Ye aib ishq, ye bair ishq

 The first interlude is piano driven whereas the second one is supported by Shehnaai. The tune of both the antara is totally different. The first ends on the hook line, the second ends in the starting part of mukhda.

Ye kaali raat jakad loon
Ye thanda chaand pakad loon..
Din raat ke bairi bhed ka
Rukh mod ke main rakh doon..

I wish to clinch this dark night,
and hold this cold moon..
I wish to change the way there is a difference
between the day and the night..

Ram is torn between his family, politics and his undying love for Leela. He wishes to change everything that has happened over the time. He wants to make peace within their families(the two communities Saneras and Rajadis).

Tujh sang bair lagaya aisa
Raha na main phir apne jaisa..

But the sad reality strikes him every time, and he goes back to being the way he has become,trying to hate Leela and to accept the fate that they can never get back together. At this point we feel really sorry for Ram and Leela

Mera naam ishk, tera naam ishk
Mera naam tera naam mera naam ishk

Arijit Singh’s soulful voice adds life to the lyrics which has been beautifully written by siddharth and Garima. And this by far is my favorite song by the singer.

Yeh laal ishq, ye malal ishq
Ye ayb ishq, ye bair ishq

It ends with the sound of the temple bells. By the end of the song ,we are really taken aback by the fact that how this soothing song actually depicts the pain, the sufferings and the longing of not being able to be with a loved one. It is such a heart wrenching and at the same time a romantic song.This is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s second movie as a Music Director and all we can say is that he has managed to do a brilliant job with this particular track.